Benefits of an LLC in Nevada

No State Income Tax in Nevada

One of the first benefits of an LLC in Nevada is that the state is a tax haven for small businesses. Nevada does not impose business income taxes of any kind. That means there are no corporate income taxes or personal income taxes.

Of course, your Nevada LLC is still subject to taxes for federal income tax purposes. But it’s a pass-through entity by default. The pass-through tax structure means that the LLC itself doesn’t pay taxes; the tax burden passes through to the members, who report their income on their personal tax returns. Compared to other states, Nevada LLCs usually have a much smaller income tax burden.

The Luxury of Choice: Electing a Tax Status

In addition to only owing federal income taxes and not state ones, a Nevada LLC can elect a different tax status if it chooses to. Being taxed like a sole proprietorship or partnership is the default. But LLCs can also elect to be taxed like a C corporation or S corporation. For some LLCs, these options can present a significant tax benefit.

If you’re not sure which status is right for you, we highly recommend consulting with a tax attorney. Taxes are complicated, and qualified legal advice is essential to staying compliant.

Limited Personal Liability

One of the biggest advantages to the LLC business structure is personal asset protection. If you were a sole proprietor or general partnership, your business would be legally indistinguishable from you as a person. But in the eyes of the law, an LLC is a separate entity from its members. It has its own corporate veil that shields its owners from being personally liable for the business’s debts.

As long as your business is compliant, business creditors can’t usually seize your personal assets to pay for business debts. This personal liability protection is one of the primary reasons entrepreneurs decide they need an LLC.

Privacy and Confidentiality

In some states, the members of an LLC are listed on the public record, and anyone can see the names and daytime addresses of each member. But in Nevada, there’s a bit of a loophole: only managing members have to be listed on the Articles of Organization and the annual list. LLC members who don’t manage the Nevada LLC don’t have to be listed.

Additionally, Nevada has strong privacy protection laws in place to protect the business’s records from inappropriate use, both by its own members and the public. The revenue department is also bound by law to keep your information confidential (with the exception of information listed on your printed tax permits). Nevada doesn’t even have an information sharing agreement with the IRS. 

Low Franchise Taxes

In addition to not having income taxes for personal or corporate returns, Nevada has a pretty minimal franchise tax burden. Technically, Nevada charges a franchise tax — called the Commerce Tax. However, this tax only applies to business entities with $4,000,000 or more in annual revenue. If your LLC doesn’t meet this gross revenue threshold, you won’t owe any commerce taxes. Even if you do meet the tax threshold, it’s not a hefty tax.

There are, of course, other miscellaneous taxes you might be subject to as a business owner. We highly recommend consulting with a licensed tax attorney to discuss your unique tax burden.

So are there any annual fees for a Nevada LLC?

Overall, Nevada has a pretty low financial burden for maintaining an LLC. But it’s not non-existent. Most importantly, Nevada requires you to submit an annual list of members and apply for your annual business license. The license fee is $200, and the annual list costs $150. That $350 annual cost is considerably higher than the annual report in most states.

However, if you compare the $350 filing fees to the tax burden of other states (between income taxes and franchise taxes), most Nevada LLCs still come out ahead financially. And if you form with ZenBusiness, we’ll help ensure that filing your LLC stays cheap.

Favorable Legal Climate for Business

Like all states, Nevada LLC members enjoy personal asset protection. But Nevada state law takes that protection even further with how its courts treat charging orders. To explain, let’s say that a single-member LLC starts out and runs a compliant LLC. But a business dispute occurs, and the LLC is sued. The plaintiff requests a charging order to pay the settlement amount.

In some states, a charging order allows a creditor to seize all of a member’s interest in the LLC, including their rights to make decisions. But in Nevada, a charging order only allows a creditor to claim the member’s distributions — their economic interest — until the settlement amount is paid. The debtor member still retains their rights to manage the LLC.

This asset protection benefit applies no matter how many members the LLC has. That’s different from some other states, whose courts are less favorable to single-member LLCs than multi-member LLCs. Of course, these restrictions can change if a court rules to pierce the corporate veil because of misconduct.

Strategic Location

Las Vegas gets a lot of glory for attracting lots of revenue thanks to tourism and gaming. And to be fair, the Vegas Strip does generate an enviable amount of money and press for the state. But that’s not the only perk for Nevada businesses. With Nevada’s relative proximity to Silicon Valley, national monuments and parks, and one of the most affordable airports in the country, the state presents a unique blend of opportunities for a variety of industries.